Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior
Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior is a 2006 Disney Channel Original Movie starring Brenda Song2 and Shin Koyamada. Koyamada plays a Chinese monk who visits the title character, an American teenager played by Song, claiming Wendy is the reincarnation of a powerful female warrior and the only person who can prevent an ancient evil spirit from destroying the world. This film had more than 5.7 million viewers on the night of its premiere3making Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior the fifth highest viewed DCOM at the time. It also received the highest rating in the history of Disney Channel Japan.4The film also broke records in the United Kingdom and Europe making Disney Channel the highest rated kids channel in Europe.5 The film was shot almost entirely in Auckland, New Zealand. Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior was the second DCOM to be added on the iTunes Store. Disney released several products to promote the film. A sequel was scheduled to begin filming in early 2008,67 but was eventually cancelled. Plot Wendy Wu is a popular American teenager, whose life is turned upside down by a visit from Shen - a young Buddhist monk. He claims that Wendy is the reincarnation of a mighty female warrior and the only one who can prevent Yan-Lo - an ancient evil spirit - from destroying the world. Shen begs Wendy to wear a powerful amulet, which will protect her from evil until he can fully train her in martial arts. Appalled by Shen's obvious lack of fashion sense (as he usually wears what looks like a bathrobe), Wendy is too busy campaigning for Homecoming Queen against Jessica Dawson - her school rival - to be concerned about saving the world. Wendy's traditional grandmother knows that Shen is speaking the truth: her mother (Wendy's great-grandmother) was the previous Yin Warrior who defeated Yan-Lo in China ninety years earlier. However, the others in Wendy's family have lost touch with their Chinese heritage. Shen's discussion of Chinese culture inspire Wendy's mother, a researcher at Fair Springs National History Museum, and Shen's mooncakes do the same for Wendy's father. However, faced with the choice between fighting evil and going shopping, Wendy is off to the mall in a heartbeat with her best friends Tory and Lisa. Yan-Lo soon materializes and sets out to destroy Wendy before she can attain her full Yin Warrior powers. In quick succession, Yan-Lo possesses a security guard at the museum, Wendy's brother, her dog, her principal, her teachers, her best friend Tory, and even Jessica Dawson. Wendy breaks up with her boyfriend Austin after noticing how much of a jerk he is and starts to bond more with Shen. With Shen's help, her teachers are possessed by the souls of the Five Animals of Chinese martial arts to help teach Wendy. Mr. Medina becomes the Tiger, coach Gibbs becomes the Snake, Mr. Tobias becomes the Crane, Mr. Garibay becomes the Leopard, and Shen himself becomes the Dragon. Wendy completes her training and learns that she has become Homecoming Queen. She then discovers that her battle takes place the same night of the Homecoming Dance. Feeling betrayed, she opts out. On the night of the Homecoming, her grandmother insists that Wendy fulfill her destiny, but Wendy refuses. She finally changes her mind upon learning from the monks that Shen has gone to the battle alone. Wendy and the monks arrive to save Shen just in time. Wendy's martial arts training unleashes her inner heroine for a final showdown with Yan-Lo. In the last scene, Jessica thanks Wendy for lending her the Homecoming crown and the Queen status, and the conflict between the two is put to rest. Everyone is about to leave, but Yan-Lo returns in his actual form, and the battle continues. Shen begins to sacrifice himself, as it is his destiny, but Wendy saves him by changing his destiny. Wendy and Shen both kick Yan-Lo together, destroying him forever. The monks tell Shen this is his last life, and they ascend. In the end, Wendy and Shen leave to get cappuccinos and chocolate that Shen said he loves earlier in the movie, implying that they might begin dating. Cast * Brenda Song as Wendy Wu * Shin Koyamada as Shen * Ellen Woglom as Jessica Dawson (Wendy's enemy) * Tsai Chin as Grandma Wu * Justin Chon as Peter Wu (Wendy's brother) * Michael David Cheng as Kenny Wu (Wendy's father) * Susan Chuang as Nina Wu (Wendy's mother) * Paul A. Willis as Principal Frank Nunan * James Gaylyn as Mr. Medina (Wendy's history teacher) * Sally Stockwell as Coach Gibbs (Wendy's soccer coach) * Tomothy Raby as Mr. Tobias (another teacher) * Michael Saccente as Mr. Garibay (another teacher) * Andy Fischer-Price as Austin (Wendy's boyfriend) * Sally Martin as Tori (Wendy's friend) * Anna Hutchison as Lisa (Wendy's other friend) * Heff DelFino as pizza delivery guy * Geoff Dolan as museum security guard